From bullet holes to Brazil: Edin Dzeko writes a new chapter for Bosnia

Nearly two decades after the end of a war which tore the country apart, Bosnia-Herzegovina is heading to the World Cup. While bullet holes still litter the country's capital city of Sarajevo, its footballers are hoping to write a new chapter in the emerging nation' history.

Edin Dzeko will spearhead Bosnia-Herzegovina's challenge at its first ever World Cup. The striker heads to his first major international tournament after a season which saw him win the English Premier League with Manchester City.

Bosnia confirmed qualification for its first World Cup with a 1-0 win over Lithuania in Vilnius on October 15, 2013. The victory sparked wild celebrations on the streets of Sarajevo, where 50,000 fans took to the streets for a glorious homecoming.

The team's final training camp before departing for the World Cup took place in Ilidza, a picturesque suburb on the outskirts of Sarajevo.

Local schoolchildren gathered around the edge of the training pitch to catch a glimpse of their heroes and chant Dzeko's name.

Like Dzeko, Bosnia's goalkeeper Asmir Begovic plies his trade in England. The Stoke City player's family fled Bosnia before the war, moving to Germany before settling in Canada.

Miralem Pjanic is a gifted midfield playmaker who received high praise for his role in Roma's impressive second-place finish in Italy's Serie A.

Bosnia coach Safet Susic is imposing strict rules on his players while they are in Brazil, including a ban on sex. "There will be no sex in Brazil," Susic said prior to the tournament.

Susic knows all about playing at the World Cup. He represented Yugoslavia at the 1982 and 1990 tournaments, scoring the opening goal in the team's 4-1 win over United Arab Emirates 24 years ago.

Bosnia's first World Cup match could hardly be tougher. "The Dragons" will come up against Argentina, a team that boasts the talents of Lionel Messi and is tipped by many as the favorite heading into Brazil 2014. Nigeria and Iran will be Bosnia's other opponents in Group F.

The setting for Bosnia's opening match is Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana Stadium. It hosted the 1950 World Cup final, the first time Brazil hosted the tournament, and has been lavishly renovated for this year's showpiece.

HIDE CAPTION

Scars of war

Edin to Brazil

Let the party begin

Idyllic Ilidza

Homegrown heroes

Safe hands

Marvelous Miralem

Susic's sex ban

Seasoned Safet

Tough test

All roads lead to Rio

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Bosnia-Herzegovina will play at the World Cup for the first time in its short history

First major tournament the team has played at since gaining independence in 1992

"You ask me again about war..." sighs the 28-year-old, rolling his eyes and smiling as he enjoys a rare moment of peace outside Bosnia-Herzegovina's team hotel in the picturesque suburb of Ilidza.

Perhaps the line of questioning is understandable given that just a short drive away is Dzeko's home city of Sarajevo, where the national hero lived throughout the Bosnian War which raged between 1992 and 1995.

After signing his first professional contract in Bosnia, the young striker earned a move to Teplice in the Czech Republic before getting his big break with VFL Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga.

He became one of the hottest properties in European football during a prolific spell which saw him score 67 Bundesliga goals in three-and-a-half seasons, with City winning the race for his signature after paying Wolfsburg a reported $45 million in January 2011.

While Dzeko carries echoes of the fighting wherever he goes, other members of the Bosnia squad had a different experience.

Asmir Begovic and his family left Trebinje, 80 miles south of Sarajevo, and headed to Germany before immigrating to Canada.

Aged four when his family relocated, Begovic has no memories of the conflict which engulfed his homeland.

"I mean it's obviously very bad memories, very bad experiences for some of my other family members who have been around and stayed for the war.

"I left when I was a boy, so I really don't remember much from the past.

"As I've gotten older I've educated myself a little on the situation and what happened, drawn on experiences from my family members and friends, who lived through it and it was just a very unpleasant experience as people can imagine.

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"For our quality of life as a family, just being able to be safe in a different country meant a lot to us."

Although Begovic's life abroad has left its mark on his voice -- he speaks perfect English with a slight North American accent -- he insists his upbringing was distinctly Bosnian.

"I've always been very close to the country," he says. "When the opportunity came it was a fantastic thing for myself and my family to do, I couldn't wait to put on a Bosnia shirt and I haven't really looked back since."